By: Leaya Chen

On January 25, a statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson was stolen from a youth baseball field in Wichita, Kansas. The statue was cut at the ankles, leaving only the base and feet behind. The citizens of Wichita took many pictures of Jackie Robinson’s feet. The crime shocked the community and drew a lot of media attention.

Following an investigation, authorities identified Ricky Alderete, age 45, as one of the thieves. Alderete and at least one other person were captured on video loading the statue onto a truck.

On August 2, Alderete was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The court found that Alderete had stolen the statue anddestroyed it to sell the bronze for scrap metal. The statue, valued at $75,000, was commissioned by League 42, a nonprofit youth baseball league.

I never meant to hurt anybody,” he said in court on Friday. “I am embarrassed, I’m ashamed. Whatever you do today I accept.”

During the sentencing phase, Alderete’s defense attorney, Jorge M. De Hoyos, argued for a reduced sentence and proposed mandatory addiction treatment. De Hoyos highlighted Alderete’s long-standing struggle with drug addiction. Despite these efforts, the court emphasized the gravity of the crime and its impact on the community, ultimately deciding to keep the sentence.

The theft and destruction of the statue elicited a remarkable amount of support for League 42. In response to the crime, a fundraising campaign was launched, raisingnearly $200,000. Major League Baseball also contributed, providing a $100,000 donation to help the league recover from its loss. League 42 plans to use the nearly $200,000 raised to improve the turf and lighting for its fields.

Thanks to this support, League 42 unveiled a new Jackie Robinson statue on August 5, restoring an important symbol to the youth baseball community.